Our Spain 2025 Yogis
April 25 - 30, 2027
Join Andrea & Kristine in the Magical Azores Islands
Where and What are the Azores? The Azores are a chain of 9 volcanic islands located in the Mid-Atlantic, roughly 1,000 miles off the coast of Portugal. The island of Sao Miguel is the most populous, with roughly 138,000 inhabitants over 400 square miles, half of which live in the capital city of Ponta Delgada. Interestingly, there are said to be 4 or 5 cows for every human on the island; so it makes sense that dairy farming is one of three major industries along with fishing and tourism. All 9 islands came into existence via volcanic eruption, and prior to the Portuguese discovering them in the 16th century, only small heather and grass and some sea birds could be found on land.
Today, the islands boast an incredible array of plants, brought to and cultivated by explorers, traders, and settlers for hundreds of years. You will find the tall and slender Japanese redwood, used regularly in repairing wooden ships, alongside giant New Zealand fern trees, towering 30 feet overhead. As almost anything can be cultivated there, all manner of fruits and vegetables, wheat and grains, and ornate decorative flowers cover the landscape. Animal life, on land, is less diverse. Only animals deemed useful by settlers, and those that could hitch a ride without being detected, exist. The plus side is, no snakes or other menaces at all! Under the water lie immense schools of fish, regularly visiting whales, and unique mollusks.
Azoreans treasure their environment, and as such, no cleaner a place have we ever visited. What’s more, all levels of government support outdoor activities with beautiful manicured public spaces, and an incredible array of well maintained public hiking trails. What better way to take in all the beauty we’ve just described!
So, what is the weather like? Everyone's #1 question! The weather in the Azores is hard to define and ever changing, especially during the cooler months of the year. We joke that you experience 4 seasons in a day here and it’s often true. The weather here is never too cold (seldom drops below 50F during the coldest winter nights) or too hot (rarely rises above 83F during the warmest summer days).
Remember, you are not guaranteed a traditional Bermuda beach vacation in the Azores… the climate here is perfect for outdoor adventuring, hiking and hot springs! Seasons run the same as everywhere else in the northern hemisphere. The sunniest and warmest months are April - October, where average air temperatures are in the low 70s. The sea temperatures range from low 60s to low 70s, with the warmest months being June through October.
Azores climate compared with Boston and Bermuda
OK, it’s warm and in the middle of the ocean, can I surf? Sao Miguel is a fantastic surfing destination! The beaches on the north of the island have been host to numerous surf contests, including the ISA World Juniors, and professional surfing’s Azores Airlines Pro, a QS 6,000 point tour stop. September and October offer warm water, highly consistent swell, and regular offshore winds. Santa Barbara Beach and nearby Monte Verde offer large sand bottom breaks and can hold large crowds. Other nearby spots offer volcanic reef breaks, and long cobblestone points. Incredibly, Azores Airlines, which flies from Boston, allows a checked surfboard FOR FREE! For those who simply want to learn, there are full service rental shops and instructors right on Santa Barbara Beach.
III. Azorean Cuisine
Azorean cuisine is based in the continental Portuguese traditions, influenced by their remoteness, and chock full of what they produce themselves! So one can certainly expect to find a Portuguese chorizo, or bean and kale soup. All their breads, and it is ever present, are baked fresh daily from locally grown grains. Stores are full of fruits and vegetables from the island: avocado, passion fruit, oranges, figs, and the unique Azorean pineapple, to name a few. Portuguese cod, bacalao, is a staple among an incredible array of fish that either live at, or visit the fruitful feeding grounds near to shore. Finally we have dairy. The Azores produces 40% of the cheese consumed in mainland Portugal! Each island has its own variety, and the people are very proud of them all! A sampling of all the above; regional cheeses, homemade jams, and fresh-baked bread, are commonly found on the table before dinner. Our retreat menus combine a mix of Azorean favorites, with more contemporary dishes, both utilizing locally sourced ingredients. We eat three dinners at the incredible restaurants at Santa Barbara Eco-Resort and Senhora da Rosa, and two dinners out at some of our favorite restaurants on the island.
Our Resort Options
Santa Barbara Eco-Beach Resort
Santa Barbara Eco-Beach Resort, a 4 star resort that features upscale accommodations, located a quick 20 minute drive from the airport. Tastefully built into the rolling hills that abut large cliffs over Santa Barbara Beach, the resort offers stunning ocean views and direct beach access, a large infinity pool, a dedicated fitness space that can hold up to 30 practitioners, and an on-site bar and restaurant. The staff are also incredibly nice, and while highly proficient in English, they haven’t seemed to learn how to say “I can’t help you with that”.
Santa Barbara Eco-Resort Accommodations Breakdown:
Luxury Studio (1 - 2 person capacity) - studios feature an open style floor plan with one double bed, private bath, kitchenette, and living area. The studios also feature a semi-private plunge pool, shared by a total of 12 studio rooms. We can not add a second bed in this room, so it’s most ideal for the solo traveler seeking more privacy, or a couple.
Bedroom Villa (1 - 2 person capacity) - this villa has one bedroom that contains one double bed or 2 twin beds, and private bath. The Villa also comes with a living room, small kitchenette and private outdoor seating area. Ideal for couples or two friends. Must have a roommate to sign up for this room as double occupancy.
Bedroom Villa (2 - 3 person capacity) - has two bedrooms and two bathrooms (one with a shower and one with a European, open air tub). Max two people in the shower bedroom and one person in the open air tub bedroom; three people total. Beds can be set up as two twins or one double bed in each bedroom. Comes with a kitchenette, living area, and private outdoor seating area. Ideal for a group of friends, or, solo travelers on a budget looking to share living spaces, but have their own private bedroom and bath.
There are other luxury lodging types offered on their website, http://santabarbaraazores.com/en, however we generally offer these premium accommodations only to those who specifically request them.
Included in all trips:
Draft Itinerary
The island of Sao Miguel is full of fun activities, and booking additional tours and excursions is quite easy to do once you have arrived and settled. Check out SolSeed’s Free Day Activity Guide for Sao Miguel here.
DAY 1 | ARRIVAL + SETTLE IN
Early morning arrival post red-eye & check into rooms
1:00 PM - Lunch & Orientation
5:00 PM - Opening Circle
7:30 PM - Welcome dinner at the resort
DAY 2 | EXCURSION DAY
7:00 AM - Coffee, Tea & Fruit out
8:00 AM - Morning Practice
9:30 AM - Breakfast Buffet
10:30 AM - Depart for excursion with hike, picnic lunch + hot springs
7:30 PM - Dinner at resort
DAY 3 | FREE DAY
7:00 AM - Coffee, Tea & Fruit out
8:00 AM - Morning Practice
9:30 AM - Breakfast Buffet
FREE TIME / optional excursions / massage*
5:00 PM - Evening Practice
7:00 PM - Dinner out at a local restaurant
DAY 4 | EXCURSION DAY
7:00 AM - Coffee, Tea & Fruit out
8:00 AM - Morning Practice
9:30 AM - Breakfast Buffet
10:30 AM - Depart for excursion with hike, picnic lunch + hot springs
7:30 PM - Dinner at resort
DAY 5 | FREE DAY
7:00 AM - Coffee, Tea & Fruit out
8:00 AM - Morning Practice
9:30 AM - Breakfast Buffet
FREE TIME / optional excursions / massage*
5:00 PM - Evening Practice
7:00 PM - Dinner out at a local restaurant
DAY 6 | DEPARTURE
7:00 AM - Coffee, Tea & Fruit out
8:00 AM - Closing Practice
9:30 AM - Breakfast Buffet
12:00 PM - Check Out
Shuttle to Airport or Ponta Delgada for those spending more time on the island
Today, the islands boast an incredible array of plants, brought to and cultivated by explorers, traders, and settlers for hundreds of years. You will find the tall and slender Japanese redwood, used regularly in repairing wooden ships, alongside giant New Zealand fern trees, towering 30 feet overhead. As almost anything can be cultivated there, all manner of fruits and vegetables, wheat and grains, and ornate decorative flowers cover the landscape. Animal life, on land, is less diverse. Only animals deemed useful by settlers, and those that could hitch a ride without being detected, exist. The plus side is, no snakes or other menaces at all! Under the water lie immense schools of fish, regularly visiting whales, and unique mollusks.
Azoreans treasure their environment, and as such, no cleaner a place have we ever visited. What’s more, all levels of government support outdoor activities with beautiful manicured public spaces, and an incredible array of well maintained public hiking trails. What better way to take in all the beauty we’ve just described!
So, what is the weather like? Everyone's #1 question! The weather in the Azores is hard to define and ever changing, especially during the cooler months of the year. We joke that you experience 4 seasons in a day here and it’s often true. The weather here is never too cold (seldom drops below 50F during the coldest winter nights) or too hot (rarely rises above 83F during the warmest summer days).
Remember, you are not guaranteed a traditional Bermuda beach vacation in the Azores… the climate here is perfect for outdoor adventuring, hiking and hot springs! Seasons run the same as everywhere else in the northern hemisphere. The sunniest and warmest months are April - October, where average air temperatures are in the low 70s. The sea temperatures range from low 60s to low 70s, with the warmest months being June through October.
Azores climate compared with Boston and Bermuda
OK, it’s warm and in the middle of the ocean, can I surf? Sao Miguel is a fantastic surfing destination! The beaches on the north of the island have been host to numerous surf contests, including the ISA World Juniors, and professional surfing’s Azores Airlines Pro, a QS 6,000 point tour stop. September and October offer warm water, highly consistent swell, and regular offshore winds. Santa Barbara Beach and nearby Monte Verde offer large sand bottom breaks and can hold large crowds. Other nearby spots offer volcanic reef breaks, and long cobblestone points. Incredibly, Azores Airlines, which flies from Boston, allows a checked surfboard FOR FREE! For those who simply want to learn, there are full service rental shops and instructors right on Santa Barbara Beach.
III. Azorean Cuisine
Azorean cuisine is based in the continental Portuguese traditions, influenced by their remoteness, and chock full of what they produce themselves! So one can certainly expect to find a Portuguese chorizo, or bean and kale soup. All their breads, and it is ever present, are baked fresh daily from locally grown grains. Stores are full of fruits and vegetables from the island: avocado, passion fruit, oranges, figs, and the unique Azorean pineapple, to name a few. Portuguese cod, bacalao, is a staple among an incredible array of fish that either live at, or visit the fruitful feeding grounds near to shore. Finally we have dairy. The Azores produces 40% of the cheese consumed in mainland Portugal! Each island has its own variety, and the people are very proud of them all! A sampling of all the above; regional cheeses, homemade jams, and fresh-baked bread, are commonly found on the table before dinner. Our retreat menus combine a mix of Azorean favorites, with more contemporary dishes, both utilizing locally sourced ingredients. We eat three dinners at the incredible restaurants at Santa Barbara Eco-Resort and Senhora da Rosa, and two dinners out at some of our favorite restaurants on the island.
Our Resort Options
Santa Barbara Eco-Beach Resort
Santa Barbara Eco-Beach Resort, a 4 star resort that features upscale accommodations, located a quick 20 minute drive from the airport. Tastefully built into the rolling hills that abut large cliffs over Santa Barbara Beach, the resort offers stunning ocean views and direct beach access, a large infinity pool, a dedicated fitness space that can hold up to 30 practitioners, and an on-site bar and restaurant. The staff are also incredibly nice, and while highly proficient in English, they haven’t seemed to learn how to say “I can’t help you with that”.
Santa Barbara Eco-Resort Accommodations Breakdown:
Luxury Studio (1 - 2 person capacity) - studios feature an open style floor plan with one double bed, private bath, kitchenette, and living area. The studios also feature a semi-private plunge pool, shared by a total of 12 studio rooms. We can not add a second bed in this room, so it’s most ideal for the solo traveler seeking more privacy, or a couple.
Bedroom Villa (1 - 2 person capacity) - this villa has one bedroom that contains one double bed or 2 twin beds, and private bath. The Villa also comes with a living room, small kitchenette and private outdoor seating area. Ideal for couples or two friends. Must have a roommate to sign up for this room as double occupancy.
Bedroom Villa (2 - 3 person capacity) - has two bedrooms and two bathrooms (one with a shower and one with a European, open air tub). Max two people in the shower bedroom and one person in the open air tub bedroom; three people total. Beds can be set up as two twins or one double bed in each bedroom. Comes with a kitchenette, living area, and private outdoor seating area. Ideal for a group of friends, or, solo travelers on a budget looking to share living spaces, but have their own private bedroom and bath.
There are other luxury lodging types offered on their website, http://santabarbaraazores.com/en, however we generally offer these premium accommodations only to those who specifically request them.
Included in all trips:
- SolSeed Retreats complete planning + execution of your retreat (see SolSeed Retreats Overview attachment for full details).
- All lodging at Santa Barbara Eco-Resort, complete with a dedicated dining area and fitness practice space suitable for 10 to 30* retreat participants. (Senhora da Rosa capacity is 25)
- Daily breakfast and dinner; and lunches on arrival day and the two excursion days - we can work around your group’s dietary requests!
- Breakfast includes a buffet of assorted local fruits, yogurts, granola + cereals, cheeses, homemade jams, fresh bread, scrambled eggs, meats on some days, seasonal fresh squeezed juices, coffee, tea
- Lunch will be provided on your arrival day at your resort, and a picnic lunch will be provided on both excursion days. This typically includes a lovely picnic of salads, sandwiches, quiches, fruit, dessert and water / juice.
- Dinner includes three delicious meals at your resort featuring vegetarian, fish and meat options. Two other dinners are organized at top restaurants on the island. Includes app, entree, dessert and a glass of wine.
- Roundtrip airport transfers from Ponta Delgada Airport (PDL) to your resort and back (about a 15 - 25 minute ride each way depending upon the resort). We will handle all of the flight coordination for your group.
- Two group excursions to stunning hikes, hot springs, and cultural towns, including all guides and transportation.
Draft Itinerary
The island of Sao Miguel is full of fun activities, and booking additional tours and excursions is quite easy to do once you have arrived and settled. Check out SolSeed’s Free Day Activity Guide for Sao Miguel here.
DAY 1 | ARRIVAL + SETTLE IN
Early morning arrival post red-eye & check into rooms
1:00 PM - Lunch & Orientation
5:00 PM - Opening Circle
7:30 PM - Welcome dinner at the resort
DAY 2 | EXCURSION DAY
7:00 AM - Coffee, Tea & Fruit out
8:00 AM - Morning Practice
9:30 AM - Breakfast Buffet
10:30 AM - Depart for excursion with hike, picnic lunch + hot springs
7:30 PM - Dinner at resort
DAY 3 | FREE DAY
7:00 AM - Coffee, Tea & Fruit out
8:00 AM - Morning Practice
9:30 AM - Breakfast Buffet
FREE TIME / optional excursions / massage*
5:00 PM - Evening Practice
7:00 PM - Dinner out at a local restaurant
DAY 4 | EXCURSION DAY
7:00 AM - Coffee, Tea & Fruit out
8:00 AM - Morning Practice
9:30 AM - Breakfast Buffet
10:30 AM - Depart for excursion with hike, picnic lunch + hot springs
7:30 PM - Dinner at resort
DAY 5 | FREE DAY
7:00 AM - Coffee, Tea & Fruit out
8:00 AM - Morning Practice
9:30 AM - Breakfast Buffet
FREE TIME / optional excursions / massage*
5:00 PM - Evening Practice
7:00 PM - Dinner out at a local restaurant
DAY 6 | DEPARTURE
7:00 AM - Coffee, Tea & Fruit out
8:00 AM - Closing Practice
9:30 AM - Breakfast Buffet
12:00 PM - Check Out
Shuttle to Airport or Ponta Delgada for those spending more time on the island
